Mugabe to chair potentially explosive politburo meeting today

President Robert Mugabe is today expected to preside over a stormy politburo meeting amid rising tensions in the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Mugabe's proclamation of dates for snap by-elections set for June 10 triggered a new wave of infighting with rival factions resorting to presenting different candidates in the Harare East constituency.

Zanu-PF's internal fights have now moved to a new frontier, in Harare East, reportedly pitting political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere against secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo represented by career banker Terrence Mukupe and Mavis Gumbo respectively.

There will be fireworks, a lot has happened since the last meeting, but high on the agenda is likely to be the issue of imposition of candidates and growing unease within the party over the manner in which the commissariat has handled the Harare East issue, a politburo source said.

Kasukuwere will be told to ask his protégé [Mukupe] to stand down. While Chombo is reportedly away in China on business, his deputy at party level, July Moyo, professed ignorance of the meeting.